Cuisines of Rajasthan

Rajasthan cuisine is fascinating because it is very different from the rest of the country. Reasons for differences lie in its desert topography that make availability of fresh ingredients difficult as well as in its royal heritage. The royals had a penchant for hunting that gave birth to some spectacular dishes.

Royal kitchens gave birth to the art of fine dining. In the present day, this is best experienced in the various heritage hotels that use traditional recipes. Even some of the chefs may be descendants of the erstwhile Khansamas or Royal Chefs. At royal meals, gold and silver utensils were used and the number of dishes at a single meal ran into hundreds. Both Mughal and European cooking have left their mark on Rajasthani royal cooking.

In the day to day cooking of Rajasthan, milk, buttermilk & clarified butter and spices especially red are liberally used. There is a wide range of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes waiting to be sampled. Each erstwhile princely state has several delectable dishes and desserts that are now a part of the mainstream cooking.

While you are holidaying in royal Rajasthan, you must make it a point to try some of these specialities: Ladoos from Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, Malpuas from Pushkar, Jalebies from most big cities, Rasgullas from Bikaner, Dil Jani from Udaipur, Mishri Mawa and Ghevar from Jaipur, Sohan Halwa from Ajmer and Mawa from Alwar. All these are various types of Indian sweets. Besides these, LalMaas (a meat preparation that derives its red colour from red chilli powder) is very famous. Dal, bati and churma are the staple food of a typical Rajasthani.